Questions About Painting Stucco

I have just bought a house that has gray stucco exterior walls and we want to change the color to an earth tone that will complement the new brown metal roof that is going on the house soon. The stucco has several areas that need to be patched, some cracks and staining near the ground apparently from back splash.
Picture of the house attached.
Questions:
1. Is Valspar Duramax a good elastomeric paint to use? What about the Behr Elastomeric? Other brand that is not so pricey like Sherwin Williams? Should I even be using elastomeric paint? And what about the hybrid elastomeric paints I have read about in the Paint Talk contractor forum? I would like to get advice from people that have actually used the paints on stucco and know how they hold up and whether they interfere with the proper breathing of the stucco.
2. I have read that spray and back roll is a good way to apply paint to stucco. Makes sense to me, but I want to do the job myself and don't want to invest in a sprayer and learn how to use it. Can I do a first class job rolling on the paint? What is the best roller set up for this?
3. What are the best products to patch stucco?
4. What kind of caulk should I use to seal cracks in the stucco and around the windows and soffit?
5. Besides patching and caulking and pressure washing the exterior is there any other prep (besides taping off) I need to do before painting?

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Stay away from box store paint. And if you are not familiar with using a sprayer and masking off for it, I would just use a thick nap roller from the start.

When you say you need to patch? What do you mean. Cracks or are their chunks missing that need replacement stucco mixed?

I like Abatron products for cracks and things but they are a bit pricey. Your real paint store will have suggestion for caulks and things to use on stucco. If chunks are missing you will have to mix stucco for repairs.

Depending on how severe and dark the water stains, you may need to apply a stain blocking primer.

Stay away from box store paint. And if you are not familiar with using a sprayer and masking off for it, I would just use a thick nap roller from the start.

When you say you need to patch? What do you mean. Cracks or are their chunks missing that need replacement stucco mixed?

I like Abatron products for cracks and things but they are a bit pricey. Your real paint store will have suggestion for caulks and things to use on stucco. If chunks are missing you will have to mix stucco for repairs.

Depending on how severe and dark the water stains, you may need to apply a stain blocking primer.

Thanks for the good info.

Rolling it is.

I do have some chunks of stucco missing- maybe 3 inch by 3 inch missing from corners.

Nothing against elastomerics for stucco and some will suggest to use nothing else. I guess if you can budget for quality paint store, not box store, elastomeric paint go for it and especially if you are in a climate with temperature extremes where the stucco expands and contracts. I used such products on my own stucco home in California because especially during the summer, you would get a 30-40 degree temp variation in the course of 24 hours when the cooling temps rolled off the ocean.

With good prep and at least spot priming, it may be overkill depending on where you are and you might do as well with a quality acrylic house paint.

By the way, you might want to update your profile with basic geographic information so we know where you are.